Russia has warned that it plans to intensify its strikes on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and has urged foreign nationals and diplomats to leave the city as fears of further escalation grow, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
In a statement released on May 25, Russia’s foreign ministry said its military would carry out “systematic strikes” targeting Ukraine’s military and industrial facilities in Kyiv. The statement added that attacks would also focus on what it called “decision-making centres” and command posts. Officials warned foreign citizens, including embassy staff and international workers, to evacuate the city as soon as possible.
The warning came after a wave of attacks over the weekend, when Russia launched dozens of drones and missiles across Ukraine. At least four people were killed, and many more were injured, while buildings in Kyiv suffered significant damage. Among the weapons reportedly used was the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which Moscow claims can travel at speeds up to ten times the speed of sound and may carry nuclear warheads.
Russia said the strikes were a response to an earlier attack it blamed on Ukraine. According to Moscow, Ukrainian forces hit a vocational school in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region, killing 21 people. President Vladimir Putin ordered retaliation following that incident.
This is not the first time Russia has issued such warnings. Earlier in May, it told foreign nationals to leave Kyiv and threatened large-scale attacks if Ukraine disrupted a military parade in Moscow’s Red Square.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has become the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. With both sides continuing to exchange attacks, the situation remains tense, and civilians once again face growing uncertainty and danger.
